President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a high-level Federal Government delegation to Niger State to commiserate with the government and people following devastating floods that ravaged Mokwa Local Government Area and surrounding communities.

The delegation, comprising Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, conveyed the President's heartfelt condolences during a courtesy visit to Niger State Deputy Governor Yakubu Garba.

"We are here on the directive of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to come and see the people of Niger State particularly the Governor and officials of the state government, to commiserate with you; to sympathize and empathize with you on what has happened in Mokwa Local Government Area," Idris stated.

The Minister revealed that President Tinubu had directed "every available resource of the Federal Government should be deployed to Mokwa" to provide immediate relief to affected communities.

Scale of Devastation

Deputy Governor Garba disclosed the staggering toll of the disaster: 151 bodies have been recovered and buried, while 503 households and 264 houses across three communities have been affected. The floods have displaced 3,018 individuals and destroyed several township roads and three major bridges in Mokwa and Raba areas, severely hampering access to the affected regions.

Garba expressed profound gratitude to the Federal Government for its prompt response, describing it as a demonstration of the administration's commitment to citizens' welfare during crises.

Federal Government Response

According to Minister Idris, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has already conducted a comprehensive assessment of the situation and mobilized resources to deliver immediate relief to affected communities.

"We are aware that NEMA has been collaborating with the state government to ensure seamless operations. They also ensured that those who have lost their lives were respectfully recovered; those who have sustained various degrees of injuries, attended to and every requirement that the government needs to put together is in place," he explained.

The President has also directed the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to collaborate with state governments nationwide to intensify public sensitization efforts, particularly in communities situated around flood plains, to ensure residents heed early warning signs and take appropriate preventive measures.

Minister Yilwatda added that the government is exploring additional support for displaced persons, noting that the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons has been directed to take over from NEMA in providing continued care to those displaced by the disaster.

The President expressed particular concern as this disaster comes barely a year after similar flooding caused widespread devastation across several Niger State communities, emphasizing the need for improved disaster preparedness measures going forward.